Image display apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

An image display method and apparatus for displaying a plurality of items of moving image data on a screen include determining a virtual radius of a circular display area displaying one item of moving image data, and determining display positions of the plurality of items of moving image data on the screen such that another item of moving image data is not displayed within a circular display area having the determined radius centered at a display position of one item of moving image data. Each of the plurality of items of moving image data is displayed at the determined display positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image display technique capable ofreproducing and displaying a plurality of moving images on the samescreen simultaneously.

2. Description of the Related Art

Prices continue to fall for a moving-image shooting apparatuses such asdigital video camcorders using magnetic tape as the recording medium,and such apparatuses have come into widespread use in the home.Inexpensive moving-image shooting apparatuses that use a hard-diskdrive, optical disk or large-capacity semiconductor memory instead ofmagnetic tape as the recording medium have also appeared on the market,and digital still cameras and mobile telephones are also generallyequipped with a moving image shooting function. Thus, today's technologyenables people to shoot moving image data with ease.

In particular, with regard to a moving image shooting apparatus having arecording medium of a hard-disk drive, optical disk or semiconductormemory type, there are a wide variety of styles in which these recordingmedia and main body of the apparatus are connected to a personalcomputer or the like and moving image data recorded on the medium isenjoyed. With regard to such enjoyment of moving image data using apersonal computer, use is often made of applications for displaying aplurality of items of moving image data in the form of an array on adisplay screen.

Further, systems in which a moving image shooting apparatus of theabove-described kind is connectable to a TV receiver or TV-programrecording apparatus have appeared on the market. In these apparatuses,use is made of a technique in which a plurality of items of moving imagedata are displayed in the form of an array on a display screen. Inparticular, the image display portion of TV receivers is in the processof becoming thinner, larger in area and lower in cost, and TV receivershaving large-size screens (referred to as “large-screen TVs” below) ofeven greater size are expected to come into widespread use in thefuture. Thus it is predicted that display configurations in which aplurality of moving images are reproduced simultaneously on a singledisplay screen will become more commonplace in the future.

Consider a situation where a plurality of items of moving image data aredisplayed in the form of an array on a display screen. One conceivablemethod is to array and display first-frame images (still images) ofmoving image data. In this case, the content of the frame image beingdisplayed does not necessarily symbolize the content of the moving imagedata. Accordingly, in a case where a user wishes to retrieve desiredmoving image data from the display where images are arrayed (hereinafterreferred to as a list display), the inevitable result is a decline inretrievability.

On the other hand, a method of reproducing and displaying all movingimages displayed in an array form also is conceivable. However, if aplurality of moving images are arrayed on one screen and the movingimage data is reproduced simultaneously, viewability of the movingimages by the user declines and it becomes difficult for the user todistinguish each item of moving image data.

In order to overcome these difficulties, the specification of JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-326881 displays a plurality oficons and reproduces only the moving image of an icon selected by theuser employing a cursor or the like, thereby facilitating ease ofviewing by the user and identifiability of each item of moving imagedata.

Further, the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2001-265812 lays out and display icons of moving image data in virtualthree-dimensional space. The arrangement is such that the userdesignates coordinates in this three-dimensional space and reproducesall of the moving image data situated at the spatial coordinates nearthe input coordinates designated. Further, the specification of JapanesePatent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-32219 describes an arrangement inwhich some images are overlapped to present a list display in order thatthe list display may be presented more efficiently.

However, in the case of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2001-326881, only moving image data designated by the user can bereproduced and operation by the user is required in order to confirm thecontent of moving image data not reproduced.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-265812 is suchthat all moving image data placed in the vicinity of the positiondesignated by the user is reproduced. Although all moving image data isnot reproduced, a plurality of items of moving image data near theposition designated by the user are reproduced simultaneously.Consequently, depending upon the structure of the display apparatus,there is a marked decline in viewing ease of the moving images by theuser and in the identifiability of each item of moving image data.Furthermore, although Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2005-32219 controls the position of still image data based upon therelationship between the focusing position of the still image data andposition at which display images overlap, it does not take intoconsideration the position at which moving image data is reproduced.

In order to solve these problems, there is demand for a method of layingout a plurality of items of moving image data and a method ofreproducing image data that take into consideration the size of thedisplay screen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possibleto suitably decide a playback display position of moving image data andimprove viewability by the user in a case where a plurality of items ofmoving image data are displayed in the form of an array.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided animage display method of displaying a plurality of items of moving imagedata on a screen, comprising the steps of:

determining whether a divided area on the screen, to which one movingimage data belongs, has another moving image data placed therein; and

controlling to start reproducing the plurality of items of moving imagedata one after another in the divided area, if another moving image datahas been placed in the divided area.

Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, thereis provided an image display apparatus for displaying a plurality ofitems of moving image data on a screen, the apparatus comprising:

a determining unit adapted to determine whether a divided area on thescreen, to which one moving image data belongs, has another moving imagedata placed therein; and

-   -   a controlling unit adapted to control to start reproducing the        plurality of items of moving image data one after another in the        divided area, if another moving image data has been placed in        the divided area.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference toattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,together with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 1A is an external view of a large-screen TV according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an implementation forcontrolling the large-screen TV shown in FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 illustrates the connection between the large-screen TV and adigital still camera;

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example of a list display of mixedstill image data and moving image data;

FIG. 3B is a flowchart useful in describing processing for presenting alist display of mixed still image data and moving image data;

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating an example of the composition of datain a display position table;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list display of mixedstill image data and moving image data according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating list display processing according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing for deciding displayposition of an image according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the composition of datain a divided-area table;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart useful in describing image display processingaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list display of mixedstill image data and moving image data according to a second embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating list display processing according tothe second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating processing for deciding displayposition of an image according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list display of mixedstill image data and moving image data according to a third embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart useful in describing processing for displayingmoving image data in the third embodiment;

FIG. 14 illustrates a large-screen TV provided with a distance sensorfor measuring distance to the user according to a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating processing for obtaining a number ofdivisional areas in the fourth embodiment; and

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating processing for ordinary playbacksolely of a specific image in a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described indetail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1A is an external view of a large-screen TV 101 according to afirst embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, thelarge-screen TV 101 has a display screen 201 and speakers 203. Imagesthat have been processed according to the image processing method ofthis invention are displayed on the display screen 201. Although aflat-screen TV of the kind depicted in FIG. 1A is used as a displayapparatus for displaying a plurality of moving images in thisembodiments the invention is not limited to a flat-screen TV. Forexample, the apparatus may be a projection TV or a monitor apparatus notequipped with a tuner or the like. Further, the screen size is notlimited to that exemplified in the embodiments below.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram illustrating an implementation forcontrolling the large-screen TV 101. In FIG. 1B, a signal received by anantenna (not shown) is input to a tuner 11. The latter subjects theinput signal to processing such as demodulation and error correction andgenerates digital data in a format referred to as a “transport stream”(the data is referred to as “TS data” below). The tuner 11 subjects thegenerated TS data to descramble processing and outputs the resultantsignal to a demultiplexer 12.

The demultiplexer 12 extracts video data and audio data from the TS datain which have been time-division multiplexed a plurality of channels ofvideo and audio data that have entered from the tuner 11, electronicprogram guide (EPG) data and data broadcast data, etc. The extractedvideo data and audio data is output to a video/audio decoder 13. Videodata that has been processed by the video/audio decoder 13 is written toa video memory 17 and is output to the display screen 201 via a displaysynthesizer 18. The audio data, on the other hand, is output audiblyfrom the speakers 203 by an audio output unit 14.

A card slot 19 is used to connect a removable memory card or the likeand exchange data with a digital camera in this embodiment. An imagedata input unit 15 reads in digital image data from a memory card thathas been inserted into the card slot 19. An image processing unit 16applies image processing to the digital image data that has entered fromthe image data input unit 15 and writes the result to a video memory 17.

A display control unit 20 instructs the image data input unit 15 to readin an image, instructs the image processing unit 16 to executeprocessing, writes display data to the video memory 17, instructs thedisplay synthesizer 18 to execute synthesis processing, and instructs amemory unit 23 to store information. Further, the display control unit20 acquires command data from a remote controller 24 via a user inputunit 21. The display control unit 20 further acquires shooting data,which has been appended to the digital image data, via the image datainput unit 15. A communication interface 25 is a prescribed interface(e.g., a USB) for connecting to external equipment. Still image data andmoving image data can be acquired from external equipment via thecommunication interface 25. Further, the display control unit 20implements image-data list display processing described below withreference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 2 illustrates the connection between the large-screen TV 101 and adigital still camera 103. The digital still camera 103 is capable ofshooting still image data and moving image data and of storing the thusobtained various data in a non-volatile memory within the digital stillcamera. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the large-screen TV 101 and digitalstill camera 103 are connected directly by a connecting cable 105. Thelatter is connected to the communication interface 25. When thisconnection is detected, the still image data and moving image data thathas been stored in the digital still camera 103 starts being transferredautomatically to the large-screen TV 101. That is, the still image dataand moving image data are acquired at the large-screen TV 101 from thedigital still camera 103, which is external equipment, by communicationvia the communication interface 25 and image data input unit 15.

It should be noted that the transfer of data from the digital stillcamera 103 to the large-screen TV 101 is implemented by an alreadystandardized protocol. Further, it may be so arranged that a card suchas a Compact Flash (registered trademark) or smart media removablyinserted into the digital still camera 103 is inserted into the cardslot 19 so that image data may be supplied to the large-screen TV 101.

Generally, in order to display a large quantity of image data in theform of an array, use is made of an index display in which thumbnailimages of the image data are displayed in the form of a matrix. On theother hand, the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2005-32219 proposes displaying the images in a partially overlappingmanner, thereby displaying the images in an array more efficiently thanwith the index display. It will be assumed below that the method ofdeciding display position of image data in this embodiment employs themethod of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-32219.

FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating an example of a display in a casewhere a list display of mixed still image data and moving image data ispresented without taking the display positions of moving image data intoaccount. The remote controller 24 is provided with a switch for callingan image viewer function. If the image viewer function is called byoperating this switch, the large-screen TV 101 presents a list displayof images of the kind illustrated in FIG. 3A. In FIG. 3A, the rectanglewithin the display screen 201 of the large-screen TV 101 presents adisplay a various items of image data in the form of a list display.Hatched rectangles 301 a to 301 h indicate the placement of moving imagedata. The white rectangles indicate the placement of still image data. Aplurality of items of image data that have been read in to thelarge-screen TV 101 from the digital still camera 103 or the like aredisplayed in the form of an array, as depicted in FIG. 3A, in responseto a command from the user. In order to clarify the characterizingfeatures of this application, first a case as illustrated in FIG. 3Awhere a list display is presented without taking into consideration thedisplay positions of moving image data will be described, then a listdisplay that does take into consideration the display positions ofmoving image data will be described.

FIG. 3B is a flowchart useful in describing display processing by thelarge-screen TV 101 in a case where a list display of images ispresented without taking into consideration the display positions ofmoving image data. First, at step S301, the large-screen TV 101 acquiresan image data list, which represents a group of items of image data tobe display in the form of an array, in response to calling of the imageviewer function. The image data list contains location information, sizeinformation and shooting information of data files of each of the itemsof image data in the image data group to be displayed in array form.

Next, at steps S302 to S305, a display position is decided with regardto each item of image data contained in the image data list. First, atstep S302, 1 is set in a variable n for designating an image in theimage data list. Next, at step S303, the nth image of image data isregistered in a vacant position in a display position table. An exampleof the composition of data in the display position table is illustratedin FIG. 3C. The display position table is stored in the memory unit 23and is for registering the display positions of image data of the kindshown in FIG. 3A. That is, the display position corresponding to aposition number (1) is a rectangle of a prescribed size the upper rightcorner of which is (xxx,yyy). In step S303, image data is registeredsuccessively at the display positions that are vacant in the columnentitled “PLACED IMAGE DATA”.

Next, at step S304, n is incremented in order to process the next itemof image data in the image data list. If n has not exceeded the totalnumber of items of image data in the image data list, then controlreturns to step S303. If n has exceeded the total number of items ofimage data in the image data list, this means that placement of allimages in the image data list has ended and, hence, processing isexited.

A list display of the kind shown in FIG. 3A can be implemented by theprocessing set forth above. However, the display positions of movingimage data are not particularly taken into account by theabove-described processing. Accordingly, there will be instances wherethe items of moving image data are displayed in overlapping form, closetogether or side by side, as indicated at 301 a to 301 c and 301 e to301 g in FIG. 3A. If the items of moving image data are reproducedsimultaneously in a case where the list display is presented with theitems of moving image data clustered together, viewability by the userdeclines and it becomes difficult for the use to ascertain the contentof each item of moving image data. Accordingly, in this embodiment, theplacement of the image data is decided in such a manner that items ofmoving image data will not be laid out too close to one another. Imagedisplay processing according to this embodiment will now be described.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a list display in whichthe display area in the list display of mixed still image data andmoving image data is divided and moving image data is then placed in thedisplay area. Partitioning lines 401 partition the display screen 201virtually. In the actual list display, the partitioning lines 401 arenot displayed on the display screen 201. In this embodiment, asillustrated in FIG. 4, rectangles 301 corresponding to items of movingimage data are placed by being distributed, one by one, to the areasobtained by division by the partitioning lines 401 (these areas shall bereferred to as “divided areas”), thereby preventing the items of movingimage data from being laid out too close together. It should be notedthat the sizes of the rectangles that display the still images an movingimages are assumed to be fixed in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing list display processing accordingto this embodiment. This processing is started in a case where the userrequests the large-screen TV 101 to execute list display processing of acertain group of image data. It is assumed that the processing shown inFIG. 5 is implemented by the display control unit 20.

First, at step S501, the display control unit 20 acquires the size ofone list display area on the display screen 201, namely values of areaheight (number of pixels), area width (number of pixels) and displayarea size (length of the diagonal). Next, from the values of area height(number of pixels) and display area size (length of the diagonal)acquired at step S501, the display control unit 20 finds a number dH ofdivisions in the height direction of the display area based-upon apredetermined relationship between the display area size and verticaldivisions at step S502. Then, from the values of area width (number ofpixels) and display area size (length of the diagonal) acquired at stepS501, the display control unit 20 finds a number dW of divisions in thewidth direction of the display area based upon a predeterminedrelationship between the display area size and vertical divisions atstep S503.

It should be noted that in the case of a size 36-type screen (1280pixels in the width direction and 720 pixels in the height direction),for example, the allocations are dH=3, dW=5. Further, in the case of asize 56-type screen (1920 pixels in the width direction and 1024 pixelsin the height direction), the allocations are dH=5, dW=8. In FIG. 4, thestate illustrated for reason of convenience in terms of the diagram isdH=3, dW=4, and 12 divided areas exist.

Next, at step S504, the display control unit 20 acquires a data list ofthe image data group (a group of image data to be presented in a listdisplay) for which the user requested display processing. Morespecifically, data file location information, size information, shootinginformation and moving image/still image classification, etc., of eachitem of image data contained in the group of image data are acquired.

Next, at step S505, the display control unit 20 finds the total numberTNUM of items of image data in the image data group contained in theimage data list. Control proceeds to step S506, at which the displaycontrol unit 20 decides the display position of each item of image datafrom the total number TNUM of items of image data. The details ofprocessing for deciding image display position at step S506 will bedescribed later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. Each image isplaced and displayed on the display screen 201 at step S507 inaccordance with the display position of each of the items of image datadecided at step S506. This processing is executed after the imagedisplay is displayed on the display screen 201.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating processing for deciding displaypositions of moving image data when a list display is presented. Thisprocessing is called from step S506 and is started at execution of thelist display processing illustrated in FIG. 5.

First, at step S601, a variable i is initialized to 0. The variable ipoints out target image data in the group of image data. Next, at stepS602, the variable i pointing out the target image data and the totalnumber TNUM of items of image data are compared. If the value ofvariable i is greater than TNUM, then it is judged that displaypositions of all items of image data in the image data group have beendecided and this processing is exited. On the other hand, if the valueof variable i is equal to or less than TNUM, then control proceeds tostep S603 for the purpose of deciding the display position of the imagedata pointed out by the variable i.

It is determined at step S603 whether the image data pointed out by thevariable i is moving image data. Control proceeds to step S604 if it isdetermined that this image data is moving image data and to step S606 ifit is determined that the image data is not moving image data. Thedetermination as to whether image data is moving image data is madebased upon the extension of the image data file, by way of example.

At step S604, an area (vacant area) in which moving image data has notbeen placed is acquired from among the divided areas illustrated in FIG.4 (divided areas obtained from the number dH of divisions in the heightdirection of the display area and number dW of divisions in the widthdirection of the display area). FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating anexample of the composition of data in a divided-area table according tothis embodiment. Stored in the divided-area table with regard to eachdivided area are an area number specific to each divided area,coordinates (vertices of the diagonal in this embodiment), number ofitems of moving image data that have been assigned to this divided area,and position number of the position to which the moving image data hasbeen allocated. The position number is a number that has been registeredin the display position table of FIG. 3C. The divided area acquired bythe processing of step S604 is that for which the number of items ofmoving image data is zero.

At step S605, one display position which resides in the divided areaacquired at step S604 and for which image data has not been assigned isselected and decided upon as the display position of the moving imagedata. Although it is preferred that the entire rectangle fit within thedivided area as the selected display position, in this embodiment it isdetermined, for the sake of speeding up processing, whether thecoordinates of the center of the image fall within the divided area.That is, a display position for which image data has not been assignedand which falls within the divided area acquired at step S604 is decidedupon as the display position of the moving image data. The number ofitems of moving image data of the divided area acquired at step S604 isthen updated and the position number of the selected display position isregistered as the position number used, thereby updating the informationconcerning the divided area. It should be noted that this image data isregistered at this time in the “PLACED IMAGE DATA” column of theapplicable display position in the display position table illustrated inFIG. 3C.

If it is determined at step S603 that the image data indicated by thevariable i is not indicative of a moving image, the control proceeds tostep S606. Since the image data pointed out by the variable i is notmoving image data, then, at step S606, use is made of the displayposition data of FIG. 3C and the image data (still image data) isassigned to the display position where image data has not yet beenplaced. After the display position of the image data pointed out by thevariable i is decided, control proceeds to step S607.

The value of the variable i that is for the purpose of pointing out thenext item of image data is incremented at step S607 and the result isstored in the variable i. Control then proceeds to step S602, at whichthe above-described processing is repeated with regard to the next itemof image data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart useful in describing the display processing ofstep S507 in FIG. 5. At step S701 in FIG. 8, the display control unit 20acquires one display position, to which image data has been assigned,from the display position table (FIG. 3C) for which assignment of imagedata has been completed. This is followed by step S702, at which theimage data that has been assigned to the display position acquired atstep S701 is acquired. If the image data acquired is still image data,then control proceeds from step S703 to step S704, at which this stillimage data is displayed at the display position. If the image dataacquired is moving image data, then control proceeds from step S703 tostep S705, at which display of this moving image data at the displayposition is started. It is determined at step S706 whether theabove-described display processing (steps S701 to S705) has ended withregard to all display positions to which image data has been assigned inthe display position table. If the display position is one to whichimage data has been assigned and has not yet been processed, controlreturns to step S701 and the above-described display processing isrepeated. If the display processing has ended with regard to all displaypositions to which image data has been assigned, the processing of FIG.8 is exited. A display of the kind shown in FIG. 4 is implemented by theprocessing described above.

In accordance with the first embodiment, as described above, the displaypositions of moving image data are decided in such a manner that aplurality of items of moving image data will not exist within aprescribed zone (within a divided area) on a display screen. As aresult, it is possible to prevent a display in which some of a pluralityof items of image data overlap or are placed too close together. Thisimproves viewability of moving images by the user.

Second Embodiment

The first embodiment is such that in order to prevent moving image datafrom being displayed in overlapping form or too close together, thedisplay area is divided and layout is decided so as to display one itemof moving image data in each divided area. However, the method ofdeciding layout of moving image data is not limited to such anarrangement. In a second embodiment, display position is decided in sucha manner that when moving image data is laid out, other moving imagedata will not exist in a prescribed zone in which moving image data hasalready been placed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram useful in describing a list display of mixed stillimage data and moving image data in the second embodiment. Here thehatched rectangles 301 indicate the display positions of moving imagedata. In FIG. 9, circular areas 501 of a prescribed diameter centered onthe rectangles 301 that display moving image data have been set. Thecircular areas 501 are virtual and are not actually displayed on thedisplay screen 201. In the second embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 9,moving image data is laid out by being dispersed in such a manner that arectangle 301 for other moving image data will not reside in eachcircular area 501.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating list display processing. Thisprocessing is started in a case where the user requests the large-screenTV 101 to execute list display processing of a certain group of imagedata. The processing also is executed by the display control unit 20.

At step S801, the display control unit 20 acquires the size of one listdisplay area on the display screen 201, namely values of area height(number of pixels), area width (number of pixels) and display area size(length of the diagonal). Next, at step S802, from the size of the listdisplay area acquired at step S801, the display control unit 20 decidesthe radius R of the circular area 501 for dispersing of moving imagedata presumed to be optimum for viewing by the user. For example, thevalue of radius R optimum for the size of each display area is loadedinto the apparatus as a table (e.g., stored in the memory unit 23) inadvance and the radius R is decided from the display area size, acquiredat step S801, and the table.

It should be noted that in the case where the values of the radius R isthat of a size 36-type screen (1280 pixels in the width direction and720 pixels in the height direction), for example, the allocation isR=100 pixels in this embodiment. Further, in a case of a size 56-typescreen (1920 pixels in the width direction and 1024 pixels in the heightdirection), the allocation is R=160 pixels. This is a value found basedupon a quantitative evaluation of user viewability in terms of thedisplay area size (length of the diagonal).

Next, at step S803, the display control unit 20 acquires a data list ofthe image data group for which the user requested display processing.More specifically, data file location information, size information andshooting information, etc., of each item of image data contained in thegroup of image data are acquired. The display control unit 20 finds thetotal number TNUM of items of image data in the image data group at stepS804.

The display control unit 20 decides the display position of each item ofimage data from the total number TNUM of items of image data at stepS805. The details of processing for deciding image data display positionwill be described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11.Processing is executed at step S806 to place and display each image onthe display screen 201 in accordance with the display position of eachof the items of image data decided at step S805. The processing of stepS806 is as described above with reference to FIG. 8. This processing isexecuted after the display of image data on the display screen 201 iscompleted.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart according to the second embodiment illustratingprocessing for obtaining display positions of moving image data when alist display is presented. This processing is executed by the displaycontrol unit 20 at step S805 at execution of the list display.

First, at step S901, a variable i is initialized to 0. The variable ipoints out target image data in the group of image data. Next, at stepS902, the variable i pointing out the target image data and the totalnumber TNUM of items of image data are compared. The variable i pointsout a number specific to the target image data in the image data group.If the value of variable i is greater than TNUM, then it is judged thatdisplay positions of all items of image data have been decided and thisprocessing is exited. On the other hand, if the value of variable i isequal to or less than TNUM, then control proceeds to step S903 in orderto decide the display position of the image data pointed out by thevariable i.

At step S903 the display control unit 20 acquires the display positionof the image data pointed out by the variable i. That is, the displaycontrol unit 20 uses the display position table of FIG. 3C to acquire adisplay position, to which image data has not yet been assigned, as thedisplay position of the image data pointed out by the variable i. If theimage data pointed out by the variable i is still image data (“NO” atstep S904), then the display control unit 20 decides that the acquireddisplay position is the display position of the image data and controlproceeds to step S906. Here the value of the variable i is incrementedin order to decide the display position of the next item of image dataand control returns to step S902.

If it is determined at step S904 that the image data indicated by thevariable i is indicative of a moving image, the control proceeds to stepS905. Here the coordinates of the center of a display rectangle arefound from the display position acquired at step S903 and whether othermoving image data has been placed within a circle of radius R havingthese center coordinates is investigated. The center coordinates areused in order to speed up processing. If other moving image data hasbeen placed within the circle of radius R, control returns to step S902and the processing for deciding the display position of the image datais repeated based upon new display image data. If it is determined atstep S905 that other image data has not been placed within the circle ofradius R, then this display position is decided upon as the displayposition of this moving image data and control proceeds to step S906.

In accordance with the second embodiment, as described above, thedisplay positions of moving image data are decided in such a manner thata plurality of items of moving image data will not exist within aprescribed zone (within a circular area of radius R) on a displayscreen. As a result, it is possible to prevent a display in which someof a plurality of items of image data overlap or are placed too closetogether. This improves viewability of moving images by the user.

Third Embodiment

In the first embodiment, display position is decided so as to assign oneitem of moving image data to one divided area. However, in the eventthat the number of items of moving image data is greater than the numberof divided areas, a plurality of items of moving image data will come tobe laid out in one divided area.

FIG. 12 illustrates the state of such a display. Two items of movingimage data have been placed in each of divided areas 1201 and 1202. Thisdecision regarding display position is rendered for example by handlingan area for which the number of items of moving image data is one as avacant area in a case where a divided area for which the number of itemsof moving image data is zero no longer exists in the divided-area tableof FIG. 7 at steps S604, S605.

If a plurality of items of moving image data have been placed in onedivided area and these moving images are reproduced simultaneously, thena plurality of moving images will be reproduced at positions closetogether, thereby lowering ease of viewability. In order to avoid thisphenomenon, the third embodiment is so adapted that the reproduction ofmoving images is changed over successively in regard to an area in whicha plurality of items of moving image data have been placed. Thus, aplurality of moving images will not be reproduced simultaneously in onedivided area and a decline in viewability is prevented.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart useful in describing processing for displayingmoving images according to the third embodiment. The processingillustrated in FIG. 13 corresponds to step S705 in FIG. 8. The steps setforth below are executed by the display control unit 20.

If it is determined at step S703 that the image data represents a movingimage, then, at step S1001 in FIG. 13, it is determined whether adivided area to which the display area of this moving image belongs hasanother moving image placed therein. If another moving image has notbeen placed in this divided area, control proceeds to step S1002 andplayback of the moving image is started.

If another moving image has been placed in this divided area, on theother hand, then control proceeds from step S1001 to step S1003. Hereall moving images that have been laid out in this divided area areformed into a group. Then, at step S1004, reproduction of the movingimages in the group is started while the moving images are changed oversuccessively. Thus, in the event that a plurality of moving images havebeen placed in one divided area, the moving images are reproduced whilesuccessively changing over the plurality of moving images within thegroup. Also, reproducing order of moving images is decided in accordancewith recording date and time, file name, or number set in advance.

Various methods of changing over moving images to be reproduced areconceivable. Examples that can be mentioned are a method of changingover these moving images successively at prescribed times, and a methodin which after the reproduction of one moving image ends, the changeoveris made to reproduction of the next moving image. Further, it may be soarranged that the user specifies the timing for changing over movingimages to be reproduced. Alternatively, it may be so arranged that onlya moving image specified by the user is reproduced. It should be notedthat the designation of a moving image can be implemented byconstructing a user interface in which a cursor is moved by the remotecontroller 24, by way of example.

It should be noted that in a case where a plurality of rectangles 301corresponding to items of moving image data have been placed in onedivided area, as depicted in FIG. 12, playback order flags 601 may beappended to these items of moving image data and displayed. If thisexpedient is adopted, the moving image that will be displayed next canbe ascertained with regard to a moving image that has not yet beenreproduced. Further, a moving image currently not being reproduced in alist display is distinguished from still images.

Fourth Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the numbers of vertical and horizontaldivisions are found from the size of the display screen and the dividedareas are then decided. In a fourth embodiment, the numbers of verticaland horizontal divisions are decided upon taking into account thedistance between the user and the large-screen TV.

FIG. 14 illustrates the large-screen TV 101 having a distance sensor 205for measuring distance to the user. The distance sensor 205 measures thedistance between the large-screen TV 101 and a user 701 viewing andlistening to the large-screen TV 101. In the fourth embodiment, thedistance sensor 205 estimates the distance between the user 701 and thedisplay screen 201 of the large-screen TV 101 and changes the method ofdividing the display area illustrated in FIG. 4. It should be notedthat, by way of example, the distance sensor 205 generates ultrasonicwaves from a vibration membrane employing a piezoelectric element thatstarts vibrating when a voltage is applied, and measures the distancebetween a target and the sensor based upon the time lag of ultrasonicwaves that bounce back from the target.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating processing for obtaining a number ofdivisional areas based upon user viewing distance. This processingreplaces the processing of steps S502, S503 illustrated in FIG. 5. Atstep S521, the distance sensor 205 measures the distance between theuser 701 and the display screen 201 and stores the measured value in avariable L. Then, at step S522, the number dH of divisions in the heightdirection of the display area is found from the value of the variable Land information concerning the display screen 201 (the display area sizeacquired at step S501). This is followed by step S523, at which thenumber dW of divisions in the width direction of the display area isfound from the value of the variable L and information concerning thedisplay screen 201 (the display area size acquired at step S501).Processing from step S504 onward in FIG. 5 is executed using thesenumbers of divisions.

It should be noted that it will suffice to adopt an arrangement in whicha table in which various distances L, display area sizes and numbers ofdivisions to be set have been registered is prepared and the numbers ofdivisions in the height and width directions are found by referring tothis table at steps S522 and S523. The following is an example ofspecific numerical values in the case of a size-36 screen (1280 pixelsin the width direction and 720 pixels in the height direction):

NUMBER dH OF NUMBER dW OF VERTICAL HORIZONTAL DISTANCE L (M) DIVISIONSDIVISIONS LESS THAN 1.8 2 3 EQUAL TO OR GREATER 3 5 THAN 1.8 AND LESSTHAN 3.0 EQUAL TO OR GREATER 4 7 THAN 3.0

Further, when the value of radius R described in the second embodimentis decided, it is possible to measure the distance between the user 701and the display screen 201 of the large-screen TV 101 by the distancesensor 205 and decide the value of radius R based upon this distance.The following is an example of specific numerical values in the case ofa size-36 screen (1280 pixels in the width direction and 720 pixels inthe height direction):

DISTANCE L (m) RADIUS R LESS THAN 1.8 120 EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 1001.8 AND LESS THAN 3.0 EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 3.0 80

Fifth Embodiment

Instances where viewability declines depending upon the size of thedisplay area and user preference are conceivable even in a case where aplurality of moving images are laid out is dispersed form as illustratedin FIGS. 4, 9 and 12. Accordingly, the fifth embodiment is such that ina case where specific moving image data has been specified by useroperation, the specified moving image data is reproduced in standardfashion and the other items of moving image data are reproduced in slowmotion. As a result, a plurality of items of moving image data aredisplayed in array form without sacrificing user viewability.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating processing in a case where a movingimage has been specified. This is processing for reproducing thespecified moving image in normal fashion and reproducing other movingimages in slow motion. This processing is executed by the displaycontrol unit 20 after a list display has been presented by theprocessing of each of the foregoing embodiments.

At step S1101, the display control unit 20 retrieves moving image datathat has been selected by the user from the image data list that is theobject of the list display. Next, at step S1102, the display controlunit 20 performs playback of the moving image data retrieved at stepS1101 in the normal playback mode. Then, at step S1103, the displaycontrol unit 20 performs playback of moving image data other than themoving image data retrieved at step S1101 in the slow-motion playbackmode.

As described above, each of the foregoing embodiments is such that in acase where a plurality of items of image data are displayed collectivelyon one display screen and a plurality of items of moving image dataexist in the image data, display positions can be decided in such amanner that reproduction can be performed simultaneously withoutdetracting from the identifiability of each item of moving image data.That is, by placing each moving image by the image display method of theforegoing embodiments, it is possible to enhance user viewability andretrievabillity for identifying each item of image data even in a casewhere a plurality of moving images are reproduced simultaneously.

In the foregoing embodiments, a case where a list display is presentedin a form where some images partially overlap has been described.However, it is obvious that the present invention is also applicable toa list display in which images are displayed upon being alignedvertically and horizontally. Further, the coordinates of each displayposition in FIG. 3C have been registered in advance. However, it may beso arranged that the coordinates of display positions of each of theimages are generated whenever necessary as by utilizing random numbers.

Further, application of the present invention to a large-screen TV isillustrated in the foregoing embodiments. However, the present inventionis also applicable to applications operating in personal computers,mobile computers or the like, that deal with moving image data. Also,the present invention is applicable to other household electricalappliances that handle moving image data.

Further, the entire display screen 201 is adopted as the area of thelist display in the foregoing embodiments. However, it may be soarranged that the area of the list display is delimited by a so-calledwindow. In such case the display area size acquired at step S501 or S801would be the size of the window that presents the list display.

The present invention covers cases where the functions of the foregoingembodiments are achieved by supplying a software program directly orremotely to a system or apparatus, reading the supplied program codeswith a computer of the system or apparatus, and then executing theprogram codes. In this case, the supplied program is a programcorresponding to the flowcharts illustrated in the drawings of theembodiments.

Accordingly, since the functions of the present invention areimplemented by computer, the program codes per se installed in thecomputer also implement the present invention. In other words, thepresent invention also covers a computer program per that is for thepurpose of implementing the functional processing of the presentinvention.

In this case, so long as the system or apparatus has the functions ofthe program, the form of the program, e.g., object code, a programexecuted by an interpreter or script data supplied to an operatingsystem, etc., does not matter.

Examples of recording media that can be used for supplying the programare a Floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk,magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, magnetic tape, non-volatiletype memory card, ROM, DVD (DVD-ROM, DVD-R), etc.

As for the method of supplying the program, a client computer can beconnected to a website on the Internet using a browser possessed by theclient computer, and the computer program of the present invention canbe downloaded to a recording medium such as a hard disk from thewebsite. In this case, program downloaded may be an automaticallyinstallable compressed file. Further, the program of the presentinvention can be supplied by dividing the program code constituting theprogram into a plurality of files and downloading the files fromdifferent websites. In other words, a WWW (World Wide Web) server thatdownloads, to multiple users, the program files that implement thefunctional processing of the present invention by computer also iscovered by the present invention.

Further, it is also possible to encrypt and store the program of thepresent invention on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM and distributethe storage medium to users. In this case, users who meet certainrequirements are allowed to download decryption key information from awebsite via the Internet and run the encrypted program by using the keyinformation, whereby the program is installed in the computer.

Furthermore, besides the case where the aforesaid functions according tothe embodiments are implemented by executing the read program bycomputer, an operating system or the like running on the computer mayperform all or a part of the actual processing so that the functions ofthe foregoing embodiments can be implemented by this processing.

Furthermore, the program read from the recording medium may be writtento a memory provided on a function expansion board inserted into thecomputer or provided in a function expansion unit connected to thecomputer, and some or all of the functions of the embodiments may thenbe implemented. In this case, after the program has been written to thefunction expansion board or function expansion unit, a CPU or the likemounted on the function expansion board or function expansion unitperforms all or a part of the actual processing based upon indicationsof the program.

In accordance with the present invention, if a plurality of items ofmoving image data are displayed in the form of an array, the positionsat which the moving image data are reproduced are decided appropriatelyto enhance viewability by the user.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2005-264435, filed on Sep. 12, 2005, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

1. An image display method of displaying a plurality of items of movingimage data on a screen, comprising the steps of: determining a virtualradius of a circular display area displaying one item of moving imagedata; determining display positions of the plurality of items of movingimage data on the screen such that another item of moving image data isnot displayed within a circular display area having the determinedradius centered at a display position of one item of moving image data;and displaying each of the plurality of items of moving image data atdisplay positions on the screen determined in said determining step. 2.The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of measuringdistance between the screen and a user, wherein virtual radius isdetermined based on the measurement distance.
 3. The method according toclaim 1, further comprising a step of exercising control at playback ofthe moving image data so as to reproduce moving image data, which hasbeen specified by the user, at normal speed and reproduce other movingimage data at slow speed.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein insaid step of determining the virtual radius, the radius is determinedbased on a size of the screen.
 5. An image display apparatus fordisplaying a plurality of items of moving image data on a screen, saidapparatus comprising: a first determining unit adapted to determine avirtual radius of a circular display area displaying one item of movingimage data; a second determining unit adapted to determine displaypositions of the plurality of items of moving image data on the screensuch that another item of moving image data is not displayed within acircular display area having the determined radius centered at a displayposition of one item of moving image data; and a display unit adapted todisplay each of the plurality of items of moving image data at displaypositions on the screen determined by said second determining unit. 6.The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a measuring unitadapted to measure distance between the screen and a user, wherein, saidfirst determining unit determines the radius based on the measurementresult of said measuring unit.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 5,further comprising a reproduction control unit adapted to exercisecontrol at playback of the moving image data so as to reproduce movingimage data, which has been specified by the user, at normal speed andreproduce other moving image data at slow speed.
 8. The apparatusaccording to claim 5, wherein said first determining unit determines theradius based on a size of the screen.
 9. A non-transitory computerreadable medium storing a control program for causing a computer toexecute an image display method comprising the steps of: determining avirtual radius of a circular display area displaying one item of movingimage data; determining display positions of the plurality of items ofmoving image data on the screen such that another item of moving imagedata is not displayed within a circular display area having thedetermined radius centered at a display position of one item of movingimage data ; and displaying each of the plurality of items of movingimage data at display positions on the screen determined in saiddetermining step.